AG Barr hires its first female non-executive

SCOTTISH soft drinks company AG Barr has appointed its first female non-executive to its all-male board.

The Irn-Bru maker announced yesterday that Pam Powell, a UK-based American who also sits on the board of Premier Foods, will join the group on 1 November.

The 50-year-old spent nine years at brewing giant SAB Miller as director of strategy and innovation and has also worked for Unilever, where she directed the Dove soap brand.

Powell’s appointment comes after a government report this week showed that the proportion of female FTSE 250 board members has risen to 14.9 per cent, up from 7.8 per cent in 2010.

The report shows that the number of women on FTSE 100 boards has also risen to 19 per cent from 12.5 per cent in 2011. The figures show progress on the target set by Lord Davies for FTSE 100 boards to be 25 per cent female by 2015.

However, companies are still far more likely to appoint women to non-executive roles rather than top executive positions.

A spokesperson for AG Barr, a FTSE 250 constituent, told City A.M. yesterday that the company had “listened to recommendations” made by Lord Davies and “heeded their advice”.

Chairman Ronnie Hanna said Powell “brings with her an impressive track record in brand strategy and innovation, as well as considerable sector specific knowledge, all of which will be of great benefit to AG Barr at this stage in the group’s development”.
The company abandoned a planned merger with soft drinks rival Britvic earlier this year, leaving it with a £4.9m bill.